PM Narendra Modi wishes O Panneerselvam for taking oath as Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu

Modi promised all help from the Centre to the Tamil Nadu government.

He also expressed his hope that Tamil Nadu will scale newer heights of progress in the years to come.

"I congratulate Thiru O Panneerselvam & others who took oath today. I hope Tamil Nadu scales newer heights of progress in the years to come," Modi tweeted.

The Chief Minister said: "Centre assures all possible support to CM Thiru Edappadi K. Palaniswami & Dy CM Thiru O Panneerselvam for the growth of TN. @OfficeOfOPS."

AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam on Monday took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during a ceremony at the Raj Bhawan here.

O. Panneerselvam had earlier served as the Chief Minister of the state after the death of ex-Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The handshake between the leaders, state CM E Palaniswami and former CM O Panneerselvam, heading the rival factions of Tamil Nadu's AIADMK party, appears to have brought down the proverbial curtains on the intra-party feud, according to media reports.

However, during the merger announcement by EPS, there was no mention of Sasikala, media reported.

The media quoted EPS as saying, "We disagreed but still decided to unite."

It was announced that an 11-member panel will lead the party and OPS, Maitreyan will be the party coordinators.

The swearing in ceremony of the new ministers took place in the Raj Bhawan.

However, actor Kamal Hassan has taken a dig at the merger saying that it amounts to fooling the people, media reported.